[Tumbleweed_Connection]

If you aren't self-insuring, how many are raising deductibles to simply cover major emergencies?

[PeterPrinciple]

Medical Savings Accounts are the way to go,'

High deductible health insurance cost me about $1,400 per year (was $840 3 years ago) and $1,400 into the msa. If I am healthy, I get to keep the msa. Would have cost $4,500 to include me in my wifes plan.

[NautiNurse]

Excellent article. Meanwhile, physicians are leaving practice in droves due to exponential increases in their malpractice insurance premiums.

I would like to believe that the market will play itself out here. Patients would be granted lower physician/hospital fees in return for limiting physician/hospital liability and reduction in costs associated with filing health insurance claims.

[APBaer]

"If you aren't self-insuring, how many are raising deductibles to simply cover major emergencies?"

Yes, I do not have "medical insurance" as it is commonly bought.

I have a policy with a $10,000 deductible, limits of 1 or 2 $million, and pay $56/month.

My thinking is:

A. I see people paying several hundred/month for (not even) first dollar coverage. I only have to be healthy for 1 1/2 to 2 years to make up for the $10,000 deductible.

B. I take care of myself. No smoke, no drink, no drive car, why should I subsidize a nutty kid?

[Mitchell]

From the article: Economists call those who could afford to buy insurance but choose not to "free riders," because they might turn to public hospitals or emergency rooms for care if they fall ill.

What an obnoxious statement. They are only free riders if they seek medical treatment and then ignore the bills. There's nothing wrong with paying your own way when you need health care.

By the way, why are health care charges higher for the uninsured than for the insured? Whether you have insurance or not shouldn't affect the charges for your medical care.

The whole concept of insurance with low deductibles, covering things that you can afford to pay for when they happen, is silly in general. If everybody can expect to require a certain level of health care costs in life, one should budget for that, just as you budget for food or shelter or anything else. Buying insurance just adds administrative costs to the actual health care costs. [Catastrophic medical insurance, to cover just the things that you couldn't afford to pay for, does make sense, but many employers do not make it available.]

[elbucko]

"This is a reflection of how expensive health insurance is for all of us, but most of us can't see it because the costs are hidden from us,..... That's because the majority of insured Americans get their coverage through an employer — and pay a percentage of the cost.

Not unlike taxes, health insurance costs are hidden by withholding. Employer paid insurance is Pandora in the box. I think the Medical Community should share some of the blame, as they don't know, or don't want to know what some of the medicine or procedures they recommend cost.

Doctors like to blame insurance companies, and I agree that I don't like the idea of medical insurance for profit, esp. publicly traded, stock holder HMO's.

But, the profession itself, with 90 some thousand accidental deaths a year are a big part of the cost of medicine issue.

Look at JFK. He had all the "doctoring" his fame and money could buy. If Oswald hadn't shot him, his doctors would have killed him, slowly. Jackie would have gotten the last bill.

[TankerKC]

The questions I have is how many of us are getting adequate health care? I would guess that it is very few. The reason is that a good portion of the Docs out there are quacks. Combine that with the all of the paper work and CYA that they have to do and even the good docs can’t help you out.

I’ve been in the military for 21 years and I’ve never had adequate health care. Why? Because most (say, 90%) of the Docs in the military are quacks. The other 10% are treating the brass.

Cynical? Me?

[Mr. K]

This problem started when Nixon let your employer deduct your medical insurance.

You don't get your car insurance or homeowners insurance from your employer.

Why should you get your health insurance from your boss?

If this did not happen we would not have a population that is totally ignorant of the cost of health insurance. When you pay the same $10 'co-pay' for your prescription, what difference does it make where you buy it? (no price shopping)

[GailA]

We priced private health ins for two, age 54 & 55 one a smoker, $825 per month. With a $1,000 deductible.

[stylin19a]

41.2 million Americans who lack insurance

This was the about the same figure used during the HillaryCare crappola.

A. In 10 years, these people haven't gotten insurance ?..or
B. The figures are the same, the names change ?...or
C. It's a made-up figure ?

[I_dmc]

Are we to shortly see news items of black market health care providers? "Hey, buddy, need some stitches?"